The Royals Were Invited to Lilibet's Los Angeles Christening, But Reportedly Declined the Invitation
...really?
There's a lot happening right now on Planet Royal.
A spokesperson for the Sussexes officially confirmed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's daughter Lilibet, 21 months, was christened in California last week.
"I can confirm that Princess Lilibet Diana was christened on Friday, March 3 by the Archbishop of Los Angeles, the Rev John Taylor," the rep told People.
I want to pause here for a moment for us all to notice that the spokesperson referred to the little girl as Princess Lilibet, which is very significant, and will be ruffling feathers throughout the land as I write this.
While Archie and Lili were automatically entitled to use the titles of "Prince" and "Princess" when Queen Elizabeth passed away and their grandfather became monarch, it was unclear whether King Charles would be actively encouraging them to use these titles, whether he might let them choose whether or not to use them at age 18, or whether he would ban them from using the titles altogether.
To this day, the official line of succession lists the kids as "Master Archie" and "Miss Lilibet," which might indicate that the Sussexes decided to refer to Lili as "Princess" without consulting Charles. (I don't know enough about how this works to confirm whether or not that's the case, FYI.)
Anyway, a source also told People that King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Kate were invited to Lili's christening, but apparently chose to skip the event.
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
This feels like a fairly heartless choice to me, considering the little girl isn't even two years old and it would have been nice for her to know that she was surrounded by family for the milestone. With that said, we also don't know how much notice the royals were given ahead of the event, and if it was just a few weeks, there's no way they could have canceled all their engagements and jetted off to California. Nuance, people.
However, Prince Harry has previously said that he's tried everything to mend his relationship with his family. "It never needed to get to this point. I’ve had conversations, I’ve written letters, I’ve written emails, and everything," the prince told Tom Bradby in January.
He implied that the ball was in their court, but still invited them to his daughter's christening. On their end, the royals invited the Sussexes to the coronation. Let's see if they can use these silver linings to reconcile, but I'm seriously starting to lose hope.
Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of British Vogue, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29 and SELF. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.
-
Chrishell Stause Will Play the Villain If She Needs To
The 'Selling Sunset' star has achieved what few (maybe no one) in the reality TV genre has: being a longtime fan favorite. But with her appearance on season 3 of 'Traitors,' she's ready to make enemies and get a little scrappy.
By Brian Moylan Published
-
This Unexpected Royal is Richer Than The King
The top three people on this list might surprise you.
By Kristin Contino Published
-
Sydney Sweeney Winterizes a Plunging Mini Dress With a Sheer Turtleneck and a Fur-Lined Penny Lane Coat
The star layered all her favorite cold-weather trends for a night on Broadway.
By Hanna Lustig Published
-
Why Royal Courtiers Allegedly Gave Prince Harry and Prince Andrew Unexpected 'Dukes of Hazzard' Nicknames
A royal expert claimed the nicknames—inspired by the famous TV show—relate to King Charles.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Why King Charles's Cousin Immediately Name-Dropped Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on 'The Traitors'
Lord Ivar Mountbatten quickly established his connection to the Sussexes, and discussed his status as the first openly gay British royal.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
How Prince Harry Honored One Man's Unexpected Request While Helping California Wildfire Victims
The Duke of Sussex reportedly went incognito to find a special item for an elderly man affected by the disaster.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Meghan Markle Is Pushing the Premiere of Her Netflix Series Due to the Los Angeles Wildfires
Meghan requested that Netflix delay the release "as we focus on the needs of those impacted by the wildfires in my home state of California."
By Kayleigh Roberts Published
-
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Hugged Victims of the LA Fires During Surprise Appearance in Pasadena
"No one knew they were serving food with masks."
By Kayleigh Roberts Published
-
Princess Kate Isn't Always "Well Enough" for Royal Duties, but She's Learning to "Pace" Herself
"She is looking after herself and is wise to do so," a family friend shared.
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Issue Statement on California's Devastating Wildfires
The Sussexes addressed the disaster, which is "affecting tens of thousands from all walks of life."
By Amy Mackelden Published
-
Queen Elizabeth's Final Birthday Gift to Kate Middleton Was a Precious Heirloom With Specific Rules Attached
The present, which was from the Queen's private collection, "brought tears to Kate's eyes."
By Amy Mackelden Published